Ashley Lax Shoots ‘Cats Past Longwood, 63-53; Moves into 2nd All-Time in 3-Pointers

Friday, January 28

Farmville, Va.

7:00 p.m.

Davidson College

9-10

Longwood

4-14

Davidson

Longwood

Ashley Lax is shooting a 37.9 percent for her career from behind the arc.

Photo by: Tim Cowie - DavidsonPhotos.com

Ashley Lax Shoots ‘Cats Past Longwood, 63-53; Moves into 2nd All-Time in 3-Pointers

1/28/2011 10:17:18 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

Gavin McFarlin -- Assistant SID

Box Score

FARMVILLE, Va. — Senior Ashley Lax (Little Rock, Ark.) sparked an 11-0 run in the second half with three treys to break open a close game and finished with a season-high 19 points, while moving into second-place all-time in made three-pointers in guiding the Wildcats to a 63-53 non-conference win at Longwood on Friday night in women's basketball.

Lax went off for 16 points in the second half, including hitting three straight triples that sparked an 11-0 run that broke open a 37-all tie and gave Davidson (9-10) the lead for good at 48-37 with 9:34 left.

The senior sharp-shooter, who was 4-of-7 from behind the arc and 6-for-12 overall from the floor, moved into second in made three-balls in the Wildcat record books when she hit her third three-pointer of the second half. She passed Alex Thompson (161) with 163 and is now behind Janna Magette's 213.

Lax was not alone in scoring in double figures as Katrin Chiemeka (Marienthal, France) had a career game off the bench with 12 points, including hitting a personal-best 6-of-6 from the free throw line as Davidson was 19-for-23 for the game.

Sophia Aleksandravicius (Pound Ridge, N.Y.) reached the double-digit mark for the 11th straight game with 11 points, while hauling in four boards and blocking three shots. Her three blocks on the night set the single-season Wildcat record, giving her 62 on the year to break Sally Howell's mark of 61 during the 1981-82 campaign.

Davidson got off to a 17-7 lead halfway through the first period behind a three-ball and a pair of free throws from Chiemeka. In the meantime, the Wildcat defense held Longwood (4-14) scoreless for almost 10 minutes while opening up their 10-point lead, but it was short-lived as the Lancers found their offense again with about six minutes to go.

Morgan Smith's second trey of the half gave Longwood a 23-21 advantage behind a 16-4 run and the Wildcats all of the sudden saw their lead wiped out. Smith finished with 14 points to pace the Lancers.

Five more points by Chiemeka though, got the 'Cats to within two at 28-26 as the final buzzer sounded for the half. Chiemeka bettered her career-best by five points in the half, closing with 10.

A 9-2 run capped off by a bucket inside from Kristen Johnsen (Wayne, Pa.), who was a perfect 4-of-4 for eight points on the evening, to start the new half helped Davidson regain the lead at 35-30 with 17:26 remaining. Longwood's Chelsea Coward tied things up back up though at 37-apiece four minutes later with a jumper, before Davidson rattled off their run.

Longwood got no closer than five points the rest of the way as Davidson finished its non-conference slate of games at 5-4.

Barbara Sitton (Richmond, Va.) assisted the Wildcats to a game-high 16 assists on 18 baskets with seven of her own, and she added three points and six boards. The 5-foot-4 point guard has registered 15 rebounds in the last three games.

Davidson, winners of three straight and four of its past five games, heads home for a single contest as it finishes out the month of January vs. Elon on Monday, Jan. 31 at 7 p.m.

GAME NOTES: Davidson held its third straight opponent, eighth overall, to under 35 percent shooting as Longwood shot just 32.8 percent ... Aleksandravicius is averaging 17.4 ppg and 7.9 rpg during her 11-game double-digit streak ... the Wildcats' last winning non-conference season was the 2007-08 when they went 6-5 ... Aleksandravicius is eighth in the nation in blocks per game at 3.9 ... Davidson as a team ranks 25th in the nation in free throw percentage and is shooting 82.4 percent in the last four games (56-68) ... the 'Cats' three-game win streak ties their longest this season ... Davidson improved to 3-0 all-time vs. Longwood.